Attachment for pool-tables.



PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905. N. HEGE & 0. ROMINGBR.

ATTACHMENT FOR POOL TABLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 1905.

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No. 808,051. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905.

N. HBGE &' G. ROMINGER.

ATTACHMENT FOR POOL TABLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1905.

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I H I II I II LL I u U H 1 M W V m M R 8 m M 0 M M No. 808,051. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905.

N. HEGE & G. ROMINGER. ATTACHMENT FOR POOL TABLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1905.

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ATTACHMENT FOR POOL-TABLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed June 24, 1905. Serial No. 266,772.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, NATHAN HEGE and CHARLES ROMINGER, citizens of the United States of America, residing at I'Io e, in the county of Bartholomew and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Pool-Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pool-table attachments, the primary object of the invention being to provide means for receiving, guiding, and delivering the balls to a common place or point, preferably at that end where the cluster of balls is made up preparatory to starting the game.

A further object of the invention is to provide a suitable track extending around the table and common to the several ball-receiving pockets of the table in connection with racks and a switch for diverting the balls and causing them to enter and occupy one rack or the other, as may be desired.

It is also an object of this invention to provide means operable at any point around the table for shifting the switch referred to.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a special form of hanger and track-rail supporting brackets whereby the height and angle of the track may be accurately adjusted.

A further object is to provide in connection with such hangers adjustable brackets for supporting the ball-racks and also provide ball-racks which are detachable from their supports to facilitate depositing the balls upon the table in readiness for another game.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination,- and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pooltable, showing the attachment applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the side hangers, showing one of the track-rail-supporting brackets and indicating by dotted ines the adjustment of said bracket. Fig. 3 is a similar view of one of the double end hangers and brackets, showing also one of the rack-supporting brackets. Fig. 4 is an end view of the table with the attachment there on, illustrating the switch for diverting the Fig. 5 is an balls to one rack or the other.

enlarged view of the switch. Fig. 6 is a detail cross-section through one of the hangers. Fig. 7 is a detail section showing a stop for preventing the balls from passing from the track to the racks. Fig. 8 is a broken plan illustrating our indicator. Fig. 9 is a broken side elevation showing the operative parts of the indicator; and Fig. 10 is a detail perspective illustrating the indicator-plate, sliding cover, and a portion of the operating-rod.

Like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in all figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the present invention we provide a track consisting of parallel rails 1, preferably in the form of rods, round in crosssection, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and arranged at a suitable distance apart to support and direct the pool-balls as they are deposited thereon, the said rails having an inclina tion along the sides and one end of the table suflicient to cause the balls to roll by gravity to the point where they are switched into the racks hereinafter described.

In order to support and adjust the trackrails, side hangers 2 and end hangers 3 are employed, the number of said hangers being sufiicient to properly support the rails at the necessary intervals and brace the same, so as to prevent them from being bent and injured. Each hanger is composed of a suitable length of channel-iron, as shown in Fig. 6, and is bent into U shape or substantially into the form of a horseshoe, as shown in Fig. 2, with the channel 4 disposed'inwardly to receive the arms of the track-supporting bracket associated therewith. The connect ing portion of the hanger is uppermost and is rigidly secured to a head or cap 5, preferably circular in form and provided with holes 6 to receive fasteners by means of which the 5 hanger as a whole is secured beneath the projecting rail of the pool-table.

In connection with each hanger 2 there is employed a bracket 7, which is made, preferably, in the form of an arch, as shown in Fig. 2, the side arms of the bracket being received in the channels of the hanger and rendered adjustable up and down therein by means of set-screws 8, passing through the arms of the hanger and bearing against the arms of the bracket. In this way the bracket may be set at any height to give the proper elevation and inclination of the track-rails 1, said rails being held between lugs or hooks 9 and 10, projecting inward from the arms of the bracket and partially embracing the rails. Each bracket also comprises an inverted-arch- I shaped portion 11, to which is secured apendent guide 12 in the form of an eye, which is adapted to receive a suitable cord, rope, chain, or the equivalent, which extends entirely around the table, and bymeans of which the switch hereinafter described may be shifted.

The hangers 3 at the end of the table are preferably made double, or, in other words, they are adapted to support two bracketsa track-supporting bracket 13, adjustable up and down by means of set-screws 14 and cor-. responding substantially in shape and function to the bracket 7, hereinabove described, and also a rack-supporting bracket 15, which is in the form of an inverted arch, as shown in Fig. 3, and provided with a pendent guide or eye 16 to receive the switch-operating cord 17, extending also through the other guides 12, above described. Each of the brackets 15 is provided with a vertical arm 18, which is adjustable up and down in the arm 19 of the hanger 3, the said arm 19 being considerably longer than the other arm of the bracket in order to receive the rack-supporting bracket in addition to the track-supporting bracket. The bracket 15 is provided with oppositely-arranged sockets or recesses 20 to receive the opposite parallel portions or rails 21 of a ball-rack 22. Two of said ball-racks are employed, as shown in Fig. 4, each rack being preferably oblong and of sufficient length to receive the necessary number of balls as they are delivered from the track-rails and directed by means of the switch upon the racks.

Each of the brackets 15 is made adjustable up and down on the hangers by means of set screws 23.

At a point centrally of the end of the pooltable the track-rails 1 are cut away or interrupted to leave an opening through which the balls may drop, and adjacent to said opening is mounteda U-shaped switch 24, provided at one side with a shaft 25, journaled in a switch-supporting bracket 26, secured to the table, the shaft 25 being provided with a crank-arm or switch-lever 27, to the end of which is connected the cord or cable 17, which passes entirely around the table, thus enabling a player to grasp said cord wherever he may be and shift the switch, or, in other words, tilt said switch, to throw the same to one side or the other for the purpose of engaging the balls as they are delivered from the ends of the track-rails and direct said balls downward to one rack or the other, according to the direction in which the switch is inclined. The upper portion of the switch projects to a height suflicient to form a stop for the balls and afterward directs said balls downward to one or the other of the racks.

By means of the construction above described it will be seen that a player may while standing at any point around the table shift the switch so that it will direct the balls which he drives into the pockets into or upon the rack appropriated to his use. It will also be seen that the elevation and inclination of the track-rails may be fixed and regulated by means of the adjustable brackets so as to properly direct the balls to the racks. Furthermore, the racks may be'detached from their supports after the game is finished and used as carriers for again placing the balls upon the table preparatory to the beginning of a new game.

At times it may be desired to keep the balls from passing to the rack and for such purpose we employ a hinged stop 28, which is movable to a position between the discharge ends of the rails 10, and when in such position it forms an obstruction against which the balls lodge on opposite sides.

In connection with the mechanism described we have found it desirable to use an indicator whereby the users may be advised without special inspection as to the position of the switch 24, and therefore that particular rack which is open for the reception of the balls. To this end we mount on the rear end of the switch-shaft 29 a crank-arm 30, connected to the lower end of a rod 31, fulcrumed at 32 on the upper end of the switchsupport. The table proper immediately above the switch is recessed to receive a semicircular plate 33, having a vertically-extending flange 34, which flange extends into a plane with the surface of the table edge, so that the plate proper is depressed slightly below said edge. The plate 33 is provided with suitable numbers, as 1 and 2, indicating the respective racks, and on this plate is pivoted a movable cover 35 of quadrant shape and designed in operation to cover and seal either one of the numbers on the plate. The cover is provided with a projection 36, slotted at 37 to receive the, reduced upper end of the rod 31, the plate 33 being preferably provided with a projection 38, extending slightly beyond the vertical edge of the table-rim to receive said rod and projection 36, whereby to avoid accidental contact with these parts in moving round the table. In use the shifting of the switch through operation of the cable 17 will also shift the cover-plate 35 and indicate to the user of the table which of the racks is open for the reception of the balls.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. The combination with a pool-table, of a ball-receiving track extending around the same, and means for raising and lowering said track.

2. The combination with a pool-table, of a IIO track extending around the'same, and means connected to the table, and track-rail-supporting brackets adjustable up and down upon the hangers.

4. The combination with a pool-table, of hangers secured thereto and comprising channeled arms, railsupporting brackets having arms adjustable in the channeled arms of the hangers, and track-rails carried by said brackets.

5. The combination with a pooltable, of hangers secured thereto, track-rail-supporting brackets adjustable up and down on said hangers, track-rails supported by said brackets, racks for receiving the balls, a switch for divertingthe balls from the track-rails to the racks, guides connected with the brackets, and a flexible cord or cable connected to the switch and passing through said guides, substantially as described.

6. 'The combination with a pool-table, of track-rails extending around the same, hangers connected to the table and forming supports for the track-rails, rack-supporting brackets connected to said hangers, and ballreceiving racks detachably supported on said brackets.

7. The combination with a pool-table, of hangers connected thereto, track-rails extending around the table, rail-supporting brackets adjustable on the hangers, racksupporting brackets also adjustable on the hangers, and racks detachably mounted on said rack-supporting brackets, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a pool-table, of track-rails extending around the same and interrupted at a certain point to discharge the balls, racks located beneath the trackrails and adapted to receive the balls, a pivoted switch mounted adjacent to the o ening formed by interrupting the track-rai s, and

means for reversing the inclination of said switch to cause the same to direct the balls to one rack or the other.

9. The combination with a pool-table, of a track extending around the same and interrupted or cut away at a certain point to release the balls and allow them to drop therethrough, ball-receiving racks arranged adj acent to the interrupted portion of the track, a switch located at the point of discharge of the balls and adapted to be adjusted to throw the balls to one rack or the other, and'an operating cord or cable extending entirely around the table for operating said switch. 10. The combination with a pool-table, of track-rails extending around the same, hangers connected to the table and forming supports for the track-rails, brackets connected to said hangers, ball-receiving racks detachably supported on said brackets, and an indicator for said racks.

11. The combination with a pool-table, of track-rails extending around the same and interrupted at a certain point to discharge the balls, racks located beneath the trackrails and adapted to receive the balls, a pivoted switch mounted adjacent to the opening formed by interrupting the track-rails, means for reversing the inclination of said switch to cause the same to direct the balls to one rack or the other, and an indicator operative in the movement of the switch.

12. The combination with a pool-table, of track-rails extending around the same and interrupted at a certain point to discharge the balls, racks located beneath the trackrails and adapted to receive the balls, a pivoted switch mounted adjacent to the opening formed by interrupting the track-rails, means for reversing the inclination of said switch to cause the same to direct the balls to one rack or the other, an indicator mounted on the table-rim, and means for operating said indicator in the movement of the switch.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

NATHAN I-IEGE. CHARLES ROMINGER.

rack supporting 

